


The Greatest

by orphan_account



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Boys Kissing, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, M/M, Mental Instability, Songfic, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:47:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24913321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Lance feels empty. Where has he gone? What happened to Keith and him? What happened? He doesn’t know. He has no idea and he feels so lonely. And so so broken. Where did Keith go? And what did Lance do for him to leave?
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Kudos: 20





	The Greatest

**Author's Note:**

> This is a songfic and the song is called The Greatest by Cat Power!  
> Also, this is sort of my first time posting here so I’m a little nervous...

Once I wanted to be the greatest  
No wind or waterfall could stall me  
And then came the rush of the flood  
Stars at night turned deep to dust

“Do you think that I belong here still?” Lance sighs, staring out into the flickering sky. Veronica purses her lips, letting out a heavy breath.

“Of course, Lance. Always. This… This is your home.” 

“I know. I know. I just… I always imagined being a hero.” Lance turns away, swallowing back regret.

“You are. Lance, do you know what you did? You saved everything. The Earth owes its life to you!” Veronica exclaims, but a sudden realization dawns over her. “Lance, I know. It hurts. But she wouldn’t have wanted you to… beat yourself up about it.”

“No! You don’t know. You don’t know anything. You weren’t there. You don’t know.” Lance wants to scream, wants to punch Veronica until she understands. But he knows he hasn’t made it easy to. He barely spoke of anything other than the battles and the fights. Nothing personal was shared. None at all. Except for Allura. That was everything he wanted to say.

“You… you loved her, Lance. That’s what you said, wasn’t it?”

“Don’t you get it, Veronica! I didn’t! I didn’t love her. Not- not that type of love anyway. I- It was- oh forget it. I’m no hero.” he chucks his gloves to the ground and storms away, mind racing. 

Melt me down  
Into big black armour  
Leave no trace of grace  
Just in your honor

Is this what heartbreak feels like? Is this what it feels like to fall apart and have no one’s shoulder to cry into? Lance wishes Keith would visit, but it’s been two years with nothing from him. Lance wants Keith to call, but it’s been months since they last talked. He calls him frequently. Leaves messages all the time. But there’s never anything. What did he do wrong? Lance wants to die. He really does. He wants to fall asleep and never ever wake again. 

He lies in his bed, blankets pulled up to his chin. His arms are stiff by his sides, and he wishes for something. Anything to happen. But everything is silent except for the storm in his head. The blood rushing in his veins. He wants something. He needs something. But there’s nothing. Lance wants to talk to him. He needs to. To clear up all the things that have been floating around for years now. So, he takes his phone and opens his contacts. ✯Keith✯. Lance takes a breath before pressing ‘call’. As soon as he does it, he regrets it. His heart pounds and he hangs up. Before Keith even answers. But the thing is… Lance already knew that Keith wouldn’t have picked up anyway. He’s tried already. Too many times.

“Shit. Shit. Shit!” Lance swears, throwing his phone to the ground. He feels everything come at him. Everything all at once. He feels all the hatred and sadness come pouring out of him. His eyes go blurry and he can’t see. He’s gasping for air. As if he’s drowning. In some ways… he is. The world is an ocean and he can’t swim. 

Lower me down  
Culprit south  
Make 'em wash a space in town  
For the lead

His grandmother looks at him worriedly. Lance picks at his food, plate still almost full. 

“Do you not like it, niño?” she asks, setting down her own fork. It’s quite early, as the sun hasn’t risen yet. But Lance and his abuela both like to get up before the sun. She places a hand on Lance’s and looks him in the eye.

“No, no, Abuela. It’s good. See?” he raises his eggs to his mouth and chokes it down. He doesn’t know what’s wrong with himself. Normally he loves his grandmother’s cooking. He goes to force another bite down, but she stops him.

“Stop it, Lance. You will make yourself sick. What is wrong? You are always hungry. Tell your abuela, mijo. She will listen to you.” Lance looks into his grandmother’s kind, brown eyes and starts to cry. 

“There was a boy. And I… I loved him a lot.”

“Oh? And where is he now?”

“I- I don’t know.”

“But you love him? Why don’t you call him? Yes? Then, we can meet him.” His abuela says, nodding. Lance smiles a little at her enthusiasm. But it fades away quickly.

“It doesn't work that way, Abuela. He doesn’t answer when I call.”

“How about your other friends? Harry and Pam, was it?”

“Hunk and Pidge, Abuela. He wouldn’t have talked to them.”

“Why don’t you ask? I haven’t seen them in a while. Have them come over! I will make lunch for them. Do it for me, mijo. I want to see them.” she pats Lance on the arm and clears his plate. “Invite him too. The boy. He might not come, but you should try anyway.”

And the dregs of my bed  
I've been sleeping  
Lower me down  
Pin me in

Pidge gives Lance a hug as soon as he opens the door. Hunk pats his shoulder, smiling broadly.

“We haven’t seen you in forever, man. How’ve you been?” he asks, crossing the threshold. Lance shrugs, closing the door behind them.

“Fine. Normal. My abuela wanted you guys to come.” he replies, ignoring the looks on his friend’s faces. 

“What about- what about Keith?” Pidge asks, averting her eyes. Lance stiffens, shoulders tensing, chest tight.

“Um, he… couldn’t make it.” But the truth was, Lance didn’t even ask. Maybe he was afraid. But maybe, he knew that there was a chance that Keith would come. Then what would he say? Would he give him a hug? Tell him he missed him? Hunk and Pidge knew. Of course they did. Figured it out long ago. 

“Lance? You ok?” Pidge asks, folding her arms over her chest. Lance nods quickly. Too quickly.

“Fine. I’m fine. Everything’s… fine. I’m good.”

“Lance, buddy, you know you can tell us anything, right?” Hunk asks, looking slightly concerned for his best friend. Lance shuts his eyes, a familiar prickle flaring up behind his eyelids. He drops his head and it isn’t long before his shoulders are shaking and his dam has fallen. He slides to the floor, head in his hands. Sobbing and sobbing and sobbing. Pidge drops to her knees, reaching out to put a comforting hand on his arm. Lance jerks away, curling up into a ball in the corner. His friends look helpless before retreating into the kitchen. Lance hears muffled conversation as he rocks back and forth, tears pouring down his cheeks. 

Secure the grounds  
For the later parade  
Once I wanted to be the greatest  
Two fists of solid rock

He feels someone crouch down next to him, but he doesn’t look up. He doesn’t want to, still hugging his knees to his chest and taking too deep breaths. The person sighs, and he hears them drop fully onto the ground. Lance turns his head slightly and wishes he hadn’t. Familiar grey eyes stare into his own watery blue ones. Lance stands up immediately, chest heaving. 

“No, no, no, no. You- no. I- I can’t. You can’t be here. You can’t do this to me.” he trips over his words, not able to look at Keith properly. The other boy steps closer but Lance… can’t. He can’t. And he feels everything start to come crashing down. This whole illusion starts to fall apart in front of him. 

“You never called me, Lance. Not once. That night? When your name showed up on my phone? I cried. Because I thought I would be able to talk to my… boyfriend ag-”

“Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! You did this to me. I didn’t-” he feels himself start to choke on his own words, knowing that none of them are true. He knows he’s fucked. Everything is so fucked up. Keith laughs sadly, looking pitiful.

“You don’t really believe that, do you? Lance… what happened to you? Why are you telling yourself lies? I need you to tell me, ok? Come one, please. Lance please.” he begs, holding out his hand. Lance hesitates before gingerly hooking his pinkie with Keith’s. The black haired boy pulls him outside. 

Lance is silent, hands resting on his knees. Keith bites his lip, letting his hair out of its elastic band. It falls to his shoulders and Lance lets out a small gasp. He looks so different now. More free. Less tense. 

“You gonna talk now?” Keith asks, turning towards the blue eyed, stone faced boy. He shakes his head, sighing. “I think I know why you lied to yourself. And everyone…”

“Yeah? Why’s that, then?” Lance spits harshly, chin turned up towards the sky in defiance. 

“Something broke, Lance. Sometimes when you realize a part of you… you get scared. You were afraid, Lance. Why? You liked me. I liked you. You didn’t have to be afraid…” 

“I- I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” A choked sob falls from Lance’s lips. Keith reaches over and gently pulls Lance closer to him. 

“Don’t cry, Lance. It’s ok. I’m here now. It’s fine. Everything’s going to be fine. I missed you, you know? We’ll be ok. You don’t have to be afraid anymore. I’ve got you.”

Lower me down  
Pin me in  
Secure the grounds


End file.
